Quantifying cardiovascular disease risk factors in patients with psoriasis: a meta-analysis

Background In a previous meta-analysis on categorical data we found an association between psoriasis and cardiovascular disease and associated risk factors. Objectives To quantify the level of cardiovascular disease risk factors in order to provide additional data for the clinical management of the increased risk. Methods This was a meta-analysis of observational studies with continuous outcome using random-effects statistics. A systematic search of studies published before 25 October 2012 was conducted using the databases Medline, EMBASE, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, PASCAL and BIOSIS. Results We included 59 studies with up to 18 666 cases and 50 724 controls. Psoriasis cases had a higher total cholesterol [weighted mean difference 883mgdL(-1), 95% confidence interval (CI) 294-1472, P=0003 (=023mmolL(-1))], higher low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [990mgdL(-1), 95% CI 156-1820, P=0020 (=025mmolL(-1))], higher triglyceride [1632mgdL(-1), 95% CI 1202-2063, P<0001 (=018mmolL(-1))], a higher systolic blood pressure (477mmHg, 95% CI 162-792, P=0003), a higher diastolic blood pressure (299mmHg, 95% CI 060-538, P=0014), higher body mass index (073kgm(-2), 95% CI 037-109, P<0001), higher waist circumference (361cm, 95% CI 212-510, P<0001), higher fasting glucose [352mgdL(-1), 95% CI 064-641, P=0017 (=020mmolL(-1))], higher nonfasting glucose [1170mgdL(-1), 95% CI 1124-1215, P<0001 (=065mmolL(-1))] and a higher HbA1c [109mmolmol(-1), 95% CI 087-131, P<0001 (=22%)]. Conclusions From a preventive medicine perspective, the weighted mean differences between cases and controls are significant, and therefore relevant to the clinical management of patients with psoriasis.